The federal government and its contractors would be encouraged to donate surplus food to food banks and soup kitchens under a bill approved by the Senate Homeland Security Committee.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, is ranking minority member of the committee and a co-sponsor of the bill.

Currently, donations are discouraged because of fear of lawsuits, Collins office said. In addition, food banks and soup kitchens say donations are down because of the slowing economy and better inventory managment by grocery chains, decreasing the amount of surplus food.

The bill, approved by the committee on Thursday, calls for changes in federal contracting rules to encourage donations by vendors and expands protection from lawsuits for donors.

A similar measure passed the House in December. A vote by the full Senate has not yet been scheduled.